THE INCORPORATION OF A MICO-HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PLANT IN AN INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEM FOR A MOUNTAIN FARM

THE INCORPORATION OF A MICO-HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER PLANT IN AN INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEM FOR A MOUNTAIN FARM

From 1986-07-01
to 1989-12-31

Project details

Total cost:

EUR 72 255

EU contribution:

EUR 28 902

Coordinated in:

Italy

Topic(s):

Funding scheme:

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Objective

Implementation and optimization of an integrated energy system (IES) for hillside farm environments, based on the independent production of electric power by means of a micro-hydraulic power plant. The latter is the main component of the IES and was designed for the purpose of fulfilling all the fixed point electric and thermal energy demands of the farm. The main thermal energy demands are, in fact, met by the simultaneous installation of 2 air-water heat pumps.The IES was installed on the Val Besante Experimental Farm situated 800 metres above sea level in Borgo Adorno di Cantalupo Ligure (ALESSANDRIA - Italy). Its preliminary project was defined by means of a simulation model called SIENA (SIstemi ENergetic Agricoli), which was developed at the Institute of the Contractor.Installation and demonstration phase were completed. Some dealys were encountered during installation due to an over stressed penstock elbow gasket and administration problems between the contractor and ENEL (Italian electricity authority).Two significant changes to the project were :a) the requirement for steel piping (instead of PVC), between the intake dams and the storage tank, to reduce the risk of damage due to crumbing river banks.b) instead of using the national grid as a power carrier, the ENEL had been tryed to recommend the installation of a private, low voltage power line between the generator unit and the farm for several months. In fact, the possible future spread of such a solution should involve additional organizative and security problems for the ENEL itself. Anyway, this solution was finally accepted being the cheapest one.The project includes civil construction work and the installation of all hydraulic and electrical equipment.The civil work consisted of two concrete intake dams, a water storage tank complete with steel feed pipes from the dams, and a machinery shed to house the electro-mechanical equipment.The E & M package included the penstock from the storage tank to the turbine, the vertical six jet pelton turbine and associated asynchronous generator, the control, instrumentation and switchgear cubicle. The connection between the generator unit and the farm is allowed by a national grid'sline which permits the transport of the energy produced.Technical data :Height of Rio del Tuvo intake dam 726m a. s. l.Height of Rio della Borghina dam 738m a. s. l.Storage tank intake height 715m a. s. l.Turbine generator Height 582m a. s. l.Gross head 133mNett head125mLength of ducts dams to tank 400mPenstock length 900mGenerator rated output 15kwflow 0. 018 m3/secThe micro-hydroelectric set is only part of an overall farm energy system incorporating other energy sources such as solar panels, biomass generators and heat pumps. The connection to the national grid permitted also either the sale of surplus electric energy, or the purchase of electricity in case of emergency.